Switch.



J. LEE.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUGH. X916- N-MLW Patented Oct; 16,1917.

JoH/v 1. E5

INVENTOR.

Bug;

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JQHN LEE, or. srnmemaw, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

Application filed August 11, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JUHN LEE, a citizen of? the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sanganion and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful lilip1.'o\-'en'1ents in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mine lrach switches of the type usually designated as auton'iatic switches, and adapted to be thrown by the locomotive or motor without .n'ianual operation by an attendant.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the above character which will perform its scriirr in an ellir-ient manner. and which will be simple in construction and econoi'nical in its operation.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists of certain new and useful peculiarities in construction and arrangement of parts, whichwill be fully described and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings 2- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, numeral 1 designates a track of the ordinary type used in mines and 2 a switch track connecting therewith. Numerals 3- and 4 indicate switch tongues which may tively, and which are adapted to open or close the connection to the switch track 2. Switch tongues 3 and 4 are attached in any suitable manner to avconnecting bar 5 which is adapted to slide longitudinally beneath the ralls of the track, connecting bar 5 extending outward on one side of the track and having pivoted thereto at point 9 an L- shaped bell crank member 8. Bell crank member 8 is pivoted at the angle, designated as point 12, in any suitable manner to one of the cross ties supporting the mine track. The inner leg of said bell crank is pivoted to an actuating arm such as 10 at point 11. Actuating'arm 10 extends adjacent and parallel to the outer rail of switch track 2, the opposite end thereof from bell crank 8 being provided with slot 13. A trigger such as 14; is pivoted to the outer rail of track 2, a slotor cut-away ortion 16 being provided on the rail there or. Trigger 14 is pivoted Specification of Letters Patent.

pivoted at points 6 and 7 respec Patented-Oct. .16, 1917.

Serial No. 114,456.

at point 15 and is provided with a log it) which extends downward and passes through slot 13 provided in actuating bar 10. 18 designates springs, one attached on either side of trigger 141- and extending downward and away from trigger 14c and being attached in any suitable manner to the side of the rail.

It is a matter of common practice in mines to make what is designated as flying switches, in which operation the motor drawing a trip of mine cars passes on to the switch. cutting the trip behind loose at the point of intersection between the switch and the main. track and allowing the trip of cars to go on the main track while the motor goes on the switch. In accomplishing this heretofore, it has been necessary to manually throw the switch at the proper time. In the operation of my device it will be seen that the motor may enter the switch as indicated in Fig. 1 and that the trigger 14: may be placed so that the switch may be thrown by the wheels of the motor before the trip of cars following the motor will have sufiicient time to enter the switch, the motor being uncoupled from the cars at a point just before the switch has been reached. The switch tongues will then be thrown into position to close the switch by the action of the wheels against the trigger 14.

W' hen the motor moves along the switch track toward the switch, it will also be readily seen that the wheels of the motor will operate the trigger to open the switch, allowing the motor to pass, leaving the switch open behind it.

I also desire to provide my device with a lever, such as 20, for the manual throwing of the switch when so desired, but it is not to be understood that it is desired to cover such a lever by Letters Patent.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that the device of my invention will provide an effective means for the automatic operation of the mine switch, which device is inexpensive and simple in construction.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, except for such limitations as the claim may import, as it is obvious that the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be varied in many ways.

Having thus described 1nyi11ve11tio1i1,what ing bar, a bell crank, and a connecting bar I claim is 4 for said switch tongues, substantially as de- In a device of the character described; the scribed. combination with a track and switch there- JOHN LEE. from, of a trigger attached to a track rail Witnesses: and normally held in upright position by LEO MATTHEWS, spring members, spring members, an actuat- EDW. HANNAH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

